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Thursday, November 6, 2014

Today is one of those rainy grey November days that reminds you autumn is coming to a close. I trudged through the parking lot at work, got splashed by a car driving by, and was chilled to the core afterward. I got home and decided to tackle some of the tea reviews I have pending! The folks at Ippodo Tea Co. were kind enough to reach out and send me two of their sencha offerings in a beautiful gift box! I received the Hosen and Unro teas.

Today I am brewing their Hosen tea. A cup of this was bright enough to combat the chill I got outside! On the website it states this is the sencha they recommend to newcomers. It is bright, palatable, and complex without being overwhelming!

The dry leaves are shiny and a beautiful emerald green. The aroma is very light and sweet -- almost sugary! Ippodo recommends you brew 2 tbsp of this tea in a kyusu teapot at 80° C / 175° F for one minute.

The color of the cup is a pale yellowish green. The sweet scent of the dry leaves remains after brewing and is very aromatic and pleasant when sipping. Upon first taste the tongue is hit with a mellow vegetal flavor that lightens up on the palate into a high citrus note. The aftertaste that remains is reminiscent of asparagus -- green and snappy. I accidentally oversteeped mine and found that the tea is exceptionally forgiving. It didn't become unbearably astringent or undrinkable. I found that in a subsequent proper steeping the aftertaste is lighter and more floral if you don't oversteep. It was almost reminiscent of orange blossom as opposed to asparagus. They were still both very enjoyable brews!

This is the tea I'm going to save for rainy days. It is bright, refreshing, and a great way to escape the autumnal blues! ❤

Hi there! My name is Danielle! Here you'll find evidence that I drink and think about tea more than anyone should. I love all things Tolkien, firmly believe in second breakfast (thank you for that, hobbits), and I take entirely too many photos of my kitty named Chai. Enjoy your stay!